


The Strangest Moment

by a_pious_cruelty



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-09
Updated: 2012-07-09
Packaged: 2017-11-09 12:35:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/455517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_pious_cruelty/pseuds/a_pious_cruelty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha notices everything about Pepper. It's all part of the role.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Strangest Moment

**Author's Note:**

> This is unrequited Pepper/Natasha, because I apparently like to write unhappy things.

Pepper prefers tea over coffee. Earl Grey, with a spoonful of honey. 

Natasha thought she would resent fetching someone’s tea. She resisted Fury when he told her that she would be posing as Pepper’s assistant. She’s an assassin, not a goddamn secretary. 

But when she notices Pepper preparing her own tea every morning, so used to being the assistant herself that she doesn’t think to ask Natasha to do it, Natasha steps in and takes the cup from Pepper. “Please,” she says, “allow me.”

It’s all part of the role. 

\-----

Natasha knows she shouldn’t. She’s well aware that Pepper and Stark are both watching, that there are things the typical assistant doesn’t know. 

Facing Happy in the boxing ring, she thinks of all the reasons to take it easy on him. And then she takes him down. 

She looks at Pepper, quickly, just to make sure the illusion hasn’t been shattered. Pepper looks impressed and a little amused, and Natasha finds herself returning Pepper’s smile.

No harm done.

\-----

Natasha politely declines, but Pepper insists on an after-work drink. “Come on,” Pepper says. “Live a little.”

They go to an upscale bar, where Pepper buys her something called a 6am Surprise. It’s good, but Natasha’s used to drinking something harder. She challenges Pepper to do shots with her.

“What kind of shots?” Pepper asks, wary.

“Rocky Mountain Bear Fuck,” Natasha says, with a grin.

Pepper considers, then says, “All right. You’re on.”

As Natasha expected, Pepper’s three sheets to the wind before she hits four shots. 

“Oh my God,” Pepper slurs. “What have you done to me?”

“Lightweight,” Natasha says, which apparently strikes Pepper as hilarious, because she faceplants, giggling.

Natasha calls up Happy to come pick Pepper up. “Come on,” she says, putting her arm around Pepper and helping her out of her seat. Pepper leans heavily against Natasha, practically useless at walking. 

When Happy arrives, Natasha decides she should come along, to make sure Pepper gets up to her apartment all right. 

“I love your hair,” Pepper says, loudly. She seems to have lost her ability to control her volume. She reaches out and runs her hand through Natasha’s hair. Natasha shivers a little.

“You’re drunk,” she says.

“Yeah,” Pepper sighs, leaning back and looking at Natasha through half-lidded eyes. Natasha looks away, watching the scenery pass for the rest of the drive.

Happy offers to walk Pepper up to her apartment, but Natasha takes the drunken woman up herself. It is her fault Pepper’s in this state. 

She takes Pepper’s shoes off for her and guides her into bed. Pepper grabs on to Natasha, dragging her down as she falls into bed. 

Natasha breathes in the sweet scent of Pepper’s hair, then sits up next to Pepper. “Sleep,” she says. 

Pepper looks up at her, and Natasha can’t look away. Pepper raises her hand to touch Natasha’s face, and finally Natasha looks away. 

“Sleep,” she says again, before leaving the apartment.

\-------

Natasha notes the strawberries on Pepper’s desk and concludes Stark brought them for Pepper.

She doesn’t smirk, although she wants to. Of all things, strawberries. Of course he forgot she’s allergic. 

It’s Natasha’s job to know everything about the people she’s dealing with, in whatever capacity she’s dealing with them. She knows nearly every detail of Pepper’s life. Including the fact that she’s allergic to strawberries. 

And even if she hadn’t educated herself on everything to do with Pepper Potts, she still would remember that.

\-------

Natasha has been meaning to arrange a massage for Pepper, but every time she brings it up, Pepper just laughs.

“I don’t need that,” she says, even though Natasha notices how she rubs absently at the back of her neck at the end of a long day.

So she takes things into her own hands. The next time she notices Pepper rubbing her neck, she walks up behind her and starts kneading the knotted muscles in Pepper’s neck. Pepper sighs, leaning back into Natasha’s touch.

Natasha works her hands over Pepper’s shoulders and down her back. And for once, she can admit it to herself: it is agony to touch Pepper like this, knowing that she can’t have her.

“Better?” Natasha asks, softly. 

“Yes.” Pepper turns toward her and smiles. “Thank you.”

Natasha summons a smile. “Don’t mention it.”

\------

In the end, nearly everything is revealed. Natasha’s real identity, the fact that Stark was dying. The bad guy is defeated. Stark wins.

It’s time for Natasha to move on.


End file.
